​Rev. Marcia Krause Bilyk, UMC (ret.)

Credit: T.M. Lankford

In response to one of my recent Facebook posts, a friend commented, "You should be spreading news about love and forgiveness...I guess you're no longer a woman of the cloth." In the past, I would have ignored this barb or de-friended her, but the Presidential campaign and election have convinced me that silence is no longer an option.​Instead I responded, "My love and forgiveness are not going to change a man who has boldly and unrepentantly lied about people and his behavior; verbally bullied women, gays, and ethnic minorities; and mocked the handicapped. This is a social justice issue and - yes - I am still a woman of the cloth. God is on the side of justice."

I'm ordained in the United Methodist Church, whose Social Principles clearly state, "We deplore acts of hate or violence against groups or persons based on race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, religious affiliation, or economic status."

I've marched on Washington, participated in countless Pride and anti-war protests, and proclaimed God's love for all from the pulpit for nearly thirty years. I retired two years ago, thinking I'd pretty much said all I had to say. Obviously not.

I'm outraged, disappointed, frightened, and saddened by what I've seen and heard on TV, the internet, and in conversation with people I thought I knew until the recent election surfaced views that surprised me.

In a post-election exit poll analysis, Chris Cillizza of the Washington Post wrote, "Trump's victory should be in no way interpreted as a vote of confidence in him or his capacity to do the job. Less than 4 in 10 voters (38 percent) had a favorable opinion of him...How can a candidate win with numbers like these? Because the desire for change was so great that it overrode all the doubts - or at least many of the doubts - people had about Trump."

I often advocate for change. However, after reading of Trump's recent appointment of Stephen K. Bannon, who will have his ear as a policy advisor, I've even greater reservations about the direction the new administration is taking.​That's why I'm a new subscriber to the Washington Post. I'm shifting my social media focus from Facebook, which has been one of the few sources of local news in the rural community where I live, to Twitter. I'm aligning myself with individuals and organizations committed to social justice. I'm writing my Bishop and fellow clergy, and calling Senators and other legislators. And, yes, I intend to be in Washington for the Million Women March on DC, January 21.___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________​Marcia Krause Bilyk isengaged in ministry in New Jersey, where she lives with her husband and three dogs. She works part-time at a long-term residential treatment center for chronic relapse substance abusers. She is also a photographer and writer.